Building-block.



PATBNTED JUNE 7, 1904.

W. PORTEN. BUILDINGBLOGK.

UNITED STATES Patented June 7, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM PORTEN, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR TO BUILDING BLOCK MANUFACTURING CO., A CORPORATION OF MINNESOTA.

BUILDING-BLOCK SPECIFICATION'v forming part of Letters Patent No. 762,193, dated June 7, 1904.

Application filed November 2,1903. Serial No. 179,601. (No model.)

T all whom, it 71am/ concern:

Be it known that I, VVTLLIAM PORTEN, of St. Paul, county of Ramsey, State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Building-Blocks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to artificial buildingblocks used in the construction of dwellinghouses and other structures; and the object of IO the invention is to provide means to enable the workman to easily and quickly pick up a block and place it in the desired position on the wall.

The invention consists generally in a building-block having recesses in its ends and ledges or shelves formed in the ends of said recesses.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure l is a plan view of a block embodying my invention.

2O Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view. g

In the drawings, 2 represents an oblong building-block having, as usual in blocks of this kind, a series of vertical holes or recesses 3 extending therethrough from top to bottom. At each end of the block are verticallyarranged recesses 4. To enable the workman to easily and quickly pick up a block and place it in its proper position on the wall, I provide a ledge or shelf 5, molded with the block and preferably located at one end of the recesses 4 andhaving an inclined under surface and an upper surface that is flush substantially with the contiguous horizontal surface of the block. These ledges are of less width than the depth of the recesses 4, and the workman slipping the fingers of both hands under the ledges and placing the thumbs above within the end core-holes against their outer side walls can easily pick up a block and lift it to the desired position on the wall that is being erected and adj ust it in its proper position thereon with respect to the other blocks. The

ledges being of less width than the depth of the recesses, the workman can set the end lof one block up against the end of another in the same course without danger of pinching the fingers or wasting time and labor.

I am aware that a patent has been issued on a hood or shelf device arranged near the center at one end of the block overhanging a longitudinal opening therein to prevent the entrance of mortar, and I make no claim herein to such construction, my invention residing in arranging the ledges in the top of the transverse recesses at the ends thereof, where the workman can conveniently grasp the ledges and the core-walls at the ends of the block between the thumbs and fingers.

I claim as my invention l. A building-block having vertical recesses in its ends and intermediate core-holes, and ledges formed in said recesses integrally with the walls separating said recesses from the contiguous core-holes and said ledges being of less depth than said recesses and having under surfaces adapted to be grasped by the lingers in handling the block.

2. A building-block having vertical recesses in its ends and intermediate vertically arranged core-holes, and ledges formed in said recesses integrally with the upper portion of the walls separating said recesses from the contiguous core-holes, and said ledges being of less depth than said recesses and having under surfaces adapted to be grasped by the lingers in handling the block, and upper surfaces that are flush substantially with the top of the block.

3. A building-block having a vertical recess 30 in each end,in combination with a ledge formed integrally with said block at the top of each recess, and of less width than the depth thereof, and the under surface of each ledge being inclined and its upper surface being flush, substantially with the top of said block.

4. A building-block having vertical recesses in each end,in combination with a ledge formed integrally with said block near the top of each recess and of less width than the depth thereof, the under surface of the ledge being curved, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 26th day of October, 1903.

VILLIAM PORTEN.

In presence of- RICHARD PAUL, M. HAGERTY. 

